ELECTION 2008
Questions votes
for amendment

Listen to any single news organization around the country and you’ll hear the same thing: America made history Tuesday night. We elected our first black president, due in large part to the record-breaking amount of voters that turned out to stand in long lines, some for the first time.

But in Minnesota, the backlash of an over-hyped presidential race would prove devastating. Over 77 percent of Minnesotans turned out to vote for the next president, and in turn voted with blind ignorance for countless other offices and a constitutional amendment. What we are now left with is a distracting and potentially costly recount between an established statesman and a comedian. And worst of all, we have changed the text of our state constitution to let America know Minnesota is OK with making tax levying a part of our culture.

While the media glorifies the fact that so many voters showed up to the polls, they seem to ignore the fact that most of them only showed up to vote for one or two candidates, and then covered their eyes as they filled in the rest of the ovals. But, of course, this is what our government hopes for. Politicians know that an ignorant voter is the best defense against accountability. And they know it is the best way to avoid passing legislation in Congress.
The unfortunate truth is that this was a bill on the floor of the Minnesota house that did not have enough support to get passed. After many revisions, including the insertion of hidden earmarks, the authors still failed. So they figured turning it into an amendment to place on the ballot was the only route, placing their faith in uneducated voters.

What Minnesotans don’t realize is that the passing of this amendment sets a dangerous precedent. It is the first amendment of its kind in the Minnesota constitution. While some sections indicate how specific taxes are to be levied, nowhere in the constitution does it stick Minnesotans indefinitely with a tax rate. This should the responsibility of our elected officials. But, I suppose, even Minnesotan lawmakers aren’t immune from gutlessness, and instead chose to sneak a sales tax increase on the ballot under the guise of “clean water and land.” If anyone else committed this type of fraud in their jobs, they’d be holding out a tin can on the streets.
Ironically, a state fed up with the fear-mongering of the Bush administration bought into ads showing images of highly polluted streams and destroyed forests. The voters who didn’t see these ads instead bought into the misleading text on the ballot that this menial tax increase will turn Minnesota into an environmental utopia.
Minnesota prides itself on the success of its local artists and the scenic paradises of the north. We only became this way because we have been supporting Minnesota all along. The notion that we are now giving legislators the authority to spend our money as they see fit is unfathomable.

Erik Bergstrom
Eden Prairie

A pre-emptive
head bonking

Apparently Mayor [Phil] Young didn’t notice that in the last election a majority of Americans decided they didn’t want politics as usual. My interpretation is most want to be governed by officials that can work together, civilly and for the betterment of all. Last week the mayor wrote to congratulate the winners and losers in this month’s council election. To this writer, his letter was more of an opportunity to take a shot at a perceived political opponent, the newly reelected Councilman [Ron] Case. Ron probably has some of that coming, what was a fairly civilized race got uglier in the last couple of weeks. It can be safely said that Phil and Ron have a history.

Growing up, when my brothers and I fought, my Dad would either give us boxing gloves to settle stuff or bonk our heads together. We were then expected to shake hands and get along. Well, consider the Campaign the boxing glove stage, and this a pre-emptive head bonking. To paraphrase Dad, “now knock it off and govern like adults.” Thank you and have a nice day.

Bruce Duncomb
Eden Prairie

Civility, please!

Ron Case has not even been sworn into office as a City Council member, but Mayor Phil Young has already put on the gloves and come out swinging. Thinly veiled as a congratulatory letter to the editor in last week’s Eden Prairie News, it was easy and dismaying to read between the lines. Rancorous, petty and arrogant are the words I would use to characterize his “welcome” to Mr. Case. Putting the cheap shot about the airport history aside, would it have been too difficult for the mayor to say, “I also look forward to finding common ground for the common good,” rather than, “I also look forward to his support in my efforts to control the growth of property taxes”? (emphasis added) Simply leaving out that little word, “my” would have improved the tone of the letter considerably.
It is no secret that Phil Young and Ron Case have had strong differences in the past. No doubt, they will continue to view decisions about the future of our city from different perspectives. Great! The citizens of our city can benefit from that diversity of opinion, but only if both men agree to put pettiness aside and find middle ground. If Phil Young’s letter is any indication, sadly, they are off to a rocky start. The people of Eden Prairie expect respect, professionalism and civility from our elected officials. We will be watching!

Ann Berne-Rannow
Eden Prairie

THANK YOU
Thanks from
Memorial Committee
Thanks to all who came, despite the cold and the wind, and for remembering your veterans. The dedication program was first class and I would like to thank all those who made it memorable. Special thanks to Bruce Olson and the pilots of the T-6 Thunder for their spectacular fly-over, setting the stage for the great program to follow.

First, Brigadier Gen. Dennis Schulstad for sharing his sincere and heartfelt story about veterans and country. Thanks to Wilton Burr, Micky Axton and Jim Moran for letting us share their personal stories. Thanks to our three representatives, Maria Ruud, Erik Paulsen and David Hann and a special thanks to Ashwin Madia, for their warm stories that touched emotions. Mayor Phil Young did a great job as master of ceremonies.

The Chanhassen American Legion and Hopkins VFW also needs special recognition as their polished and impressive performance made the ceremony first class. Memories of what was said will fade but memories of the planes flying overhead as the flags waved left many eyes damp with tears, and will last a lifetime. The wonderful patriotic music was given by the Good Samaritan Singers who despite the cold did a fantastic job. Thanks to the Patriot Guard and Boy Scout Troop 479 for all their help. Thanks to Total Rental of Shakopee for donating the 200 chairs, podium and stage.
I would also like to thank Karla Wennerstrom and the Eden Prairie News for all the articles done the past three years on our memorial. You have done a great job of reporting our progress and of informing the committee of our programs. We look forward to working with you on our future programs.

I would like to thank all our generous contributors who made the memorial possible. Special thanks to the Veterans Memorial Committee for your efforts on the memorial. Its been a long journey and thanks for each of your contributions.
Enjoy the memorial and remember your veterans.

John E. Mallo
Eden Prairie

Editor’s note: Mallo is chairman of the Eden Prairie Veterans Memorial Committee.

OTHER TOPICS
Dogs can
be irritating
I just want C. Johnson to know that barking dogs are irritating to me too. I can’t even step out on my deck to enjoy the birds and wildlife or do yard work without being greeted by barking dogs. It sometimes causes a chain reaction and I have barking dogs coming from two or three directions.

Even a few barks clears the area of any deer or wildlife we have in the area, something we have enjoyed in the past. Most dogs are well behaved and I credit their owner for that. Maybe an article on what proper dog etiquette is would help educate the guilty owners as I’m sure that these dog owners have no idea what’s acceptable and what’s not.

Barb Knolls
Eden Prairie

National
Adoption Month
November is National Adoption Month. This is important to me because I am personally affected by adoption. In fact, I am supporting a law change related to adoptees’ rights to their original birth certificates.

It is a fact that over one million adopted persons in the United States are denied access to their original birth certificates while all non-adopted persons in the U.S. do have access to their birth certificates. This is discrimination!
I am personally supporting a change in this law. It will help all families affected by adoption.

Penelope Needham
Eden Prairie

Plants should
not obstruct
view of traffic

On a Friday afternoon my 10-year-old son was riding his bike home from school with a friend traveling on Duck Lake Trail toward Eden Prairie Road crossing 168th Avenue West when he was hit by a car. The man driving the car stopped and helped my son up, who thankfully only had a few scratches and a bent up bike. The man mentioned to my son that he could not see him because of the large bush blocking the intersection and walkway. He also told my son he almost hit another child at this same intersection.

I never did meet this man, but I am grateful he helped my son fix his bike and made sure my son was not seriously hurt. My husband went to the police station to let them know of this dangerous situation and they said they would contact the city to take care of this problem. Two weeks went by and nothing was done. I decided to write an e-mail to the city and make them aware of the problem, again. It has been almost a month and still nothing has been done. The bush is still blocking the intersection and walkway. I am concerned another child will be hit by a car, but next time, will not be as lucky as my son.

I have researched the landscaping policy the city of Eden Prairie has adopted and here is a snippet …
“When installing plant material, keep in mind that once the shrub, tree or bush reaches maturity, any maintenance of the plant material should occur from the lot on which it is located. Therefore, any plant material should grow within the lot it is planted on. No plant material may be placed in street right-of-way. This is usually 10 feet to 12 feet from the back of the curb. Plant material may not interfere with vision of traffic.”

Dave, Terri and Brendan Herbst
Eden Prairie

A Veterans
Memorial question

I had the opportunity to check out the new Eden Prairie Veterans Memorial on Technology Drive. It is very impressive to say the least and a well deserved tribute to the many EP natives who fought for this country, several of whom gave so much including their lives.
Also inscribed in the monument were the names of Mayor Phil Young, former Mayor Nancy Tyra-Lukens, the Park Director and others. Is there a particular reason for this? Did they do something extraordinary that I’m just not aware of?

Andy Cilek
Eden Prairie

CITY OF EDEN PRAIRIE
Call to freeze
budgets is hasty
Rest easy, citizens of Eden Prairie; the Eden Prairie Taxpayers Alliance has returned from … wherever they went. Operating from a secret bunker beneath the Dunn Brothers at the Smith-Douglas-More house, the EPTA wants to make sure that Eden Prairie continues to be a great place to live, as long as we do it on their terms.
In their recent commentary printed in this newspaper, EPTA mouthpieces Thomas Briant and Paul Wendorff, called on the city to freeze spending. As support for this demand, they cite, among other things, the worsening economy, rising unemployment locally and nationally, and, of course, the existence of $55 million which the city has on hand in various funds.

Leaving aside for the moment the issue of whether freezing the budget is truly right or responsible for the city to do, let’s wonder about a couple of things.

First, what is the job of government at this level? Let’s stipulate that foremost, the job of this city’s managers is to provide prudent stewardship of taxpayer dollars and use those dollars for basic services, such as law enforcement. But if that were the extent of city governance, Eden Prairie wouldn’t be the place we know and love today, let alone a place where you’d want to live for any length of time. Moreover, one could argue that it’s in a city’s best interest to responsibly reinvest in its infrastructure as well as amenities.
Second, isn’t government at its best when it provides for the greater good? There’s ample historical evidence that such a goal is readily achievable in Eden Prairie and that the people of this city continue to vote with their pocketbooks to support such prudent and responsible governance.

What’s wanted, and what a series of city councils has proven works best, is responsible fiscal policy focusing on basic services but also taking into account the well being of its citizens – including the less fortunate. That commitment by the city yields a return on investment in a variety of ways tangible and intangible that far exceeds the dollar amounts involved.

Although interpreting the results of the recent city council election may amount to reading tea leaves, one can draw a reasonable conclusion based on the re-election of Brad Aho and the return of Ron Case. The results suggest that city voters do, indeed, want the council to operate in a way that’s sensitive to the economic environment. At the same time, given that Aho and Case garnered about the same number of votes, we also seem to be saying that we want to live in a city that’s concerned for all of its citizens and their quality of life.

Eden Prairie continues to be well-run. Its competent staff is the equal of any in the state. Its council members are attuned to the tenor of the times and show no sign of running down Prairie Center Drive throwing dollar bills at passing traffic. So let’s give them all a chance to do their jobs and make the best judgment calls for the city without irresponsible, hasty and unfounded calls to freeze budgets or take other drastic action that simply isn’t needed.

Marcus Johnson
Eden Prairie